Simple device for generating electricity from fluid flows

ABSTRACT

Trying to save nature and people from pollution and help regenerating nature since using it, power is inexpensive. 
     Also the current from these devices can be used to extract hydrogen and oxygen (by electrolysis) from water and the extracted hydrogen is a valuable motor-fuel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The system is made up of 3 main parts:

-   -   1^(st) unit: a V shaped unit that has a pipe like end with edges         (of the V shape) higher than the fluid surface at its highest         point. (ex. If used in rivers, the V shaped unit must have its         edges higher than the river surface during flood period). (FIG.         1, 2, 3)

At the end of the first unit, a collector connects it the second unit.

-   -   2^(nd) unit: it consists of snail shaped pipes in which the         fluid coming from the first unit is accelerated again in these         pipes. The acceleration is due to physical fact that the fluid         running in the first ring of the snail shaped pipe runs faster         in the second smaller diameter ring and faster in the third         smaller ring of the pipe and so on. We also have the ability to         widen and tighten rings (the 1^(st) is wider than the 2^(nd),         and the 3^(rd) is tighter then the 2^(nd) . . . ) makes also a         potential difference at both ends of each pipe. (FIG. 4)

The fluid accelerated by the 1^(st) and 2^(nd) unit plus the fluid from the fluid flow enters the 3^(rd) and last unit.

-   -   3^(rd) unit: the 3^(rd) unit which is also a snail shaped         housing system.

In each ring of the snail shaped housing system sits a turbine of different diameter going from the greater diameter turbine to the smaller diameter turbine (FIG. 5).

How it works: the 1^(st) turbine's job is to collect as much fluid possible from the fluid stream and the 2^(nd) unit (FIG. 17). The fluid is enclosed in the 1^(st) ring (FIG. 10). A big opening on the top of the 1^(st) ring, connecting the 1^(st) ring to the 2^(nd) ring (ex. Via twisted pipe toward 2^(nd) ring) (FIG. 9) lets most of the fluid captured by the 1^(st) turbine escape to the 2^(nd) ring (FIG. 6). Since the 2^(nd) ring is smaller in diameter than the 1^(st) ring, the fluid coming from the flow having the velocity of the stream travels in the 1^(st) ring with velocity of the stream and faster in the 2^(nd) ring, faster in the 3^(rd) ring, faster in the 4^(th) ring and so on . . . (FIG. 7, 7 a) by this, turbine sitting in 2^(nd) ring turns faster than the one in 1^(st) ring and the one in 3^(rd) ring turns faster than the one in the 2^(nd) and so on . . . In fact the perimeter of the 1^(st) ring is 2πr₁, the perimeter of the 2^(nd) ring is 2πr₂, the perimeter of the 3^(rd) ring is 2πr₃ . . . where r₁>r₂>r₃ are radius of respectively 1^(st) ring, 2^(nd) ring, 3^(rd) ring . . .

The turbines can also differ in width from one another going from the wider to the thinner turbines (FIG. 8). The number of rings in the snail shaped housing unit of the 3^(rd) unit is made upon consideration of the speed of the fluid flow during different period of time. For ex. In riverbeds the consideration is due mainly following seasons. Because rivers are slower in summer and early autumn, the number of rings is considered due to the water speed in these periods.

Each turbine in the 3^(rd) unit has a star shaped center (FIG. 11). A horizontal axis with also a horizontal star shaped end can be fixed to any turbine depending on the R.P.M. generated by the turbine at anytime of the year (FIG. 13). In order to do that the 1^(st) ring in the 3^(rd) unit that has a door at the opening of it will be shut down not letting any fluid to pass through it and so the turbines stop turning allowing the operation to be done (FIG. 8).

The other end of the axis is connected to a wheel (FIG. 14). This wheel is connected to another smaller wheel by the mean of a clutch. The smaller wheel turns the dynamo or alternator or whatever mechanical electrical device. The wheels and the dynamo or alternator will be placed on dry land (FIG. 15).

Hence the horizontal axis is moved horizontally to be fixed at the needed turbine maybe once every 2 months if the device is used in a river for example (FIG. 16).

Maybe a system consisting of 5 or 6 even more snail shaped rings (going from greater to smaller diameter and width rings) should be considered to slow running rivers.

Also the number of rings and their width (potential difference) should be considered in the 2^(nd) snail shaped pipe unit. The slower the fluid is at low periods, the greater the number of pipes should be considered.

Construction:

Construction on rivers and streams:

The fluid flow (or river) is diverted in the area where the machine should be installed. One way of doing so is by placing sand bags piles in a square form. The water inside the square of sand pile is sucked by means of water pumps. A whole is dig inside the square. The depth of the hole is also considered by fluid velocity of the stream usually ranging from 50 cm to 1 m depth hole.

The 1^(st) unit sits on top of the hole, the 2^(nd) unit benefits from the depth of the hole by gravity means and potential difference at its end and so the 2^(nd) unit (snail shaped pipes) is oblique at approximately 45° angle to the 1^(st) turbine of the 3^(rd) unit. The 1^(st) ring of the 3^(rd) unit sits in the hole (FIG. 17).

This way the fluid enters the 3^(rd) unit by 2 means, the fluid accelerated by the 2^(nd) unit and the fluid from the fluid flow (of course all units should be well fixed to the fluid bed to resist the strong fluid flow. One cheap way of doing so is to make the 1^(st) and 3^(rd) units using concrete and the system can be covered with plants if used in rivers for beauty purpose).

If the stream fluid is very slow, a good way of investing this system is to dig a deep hole in the ground and plant the system vertically in it so the fluid is more accelerated by gravity. The exit of the fluid from the last ring could be made by an underground oblique pipe to the bed of the river allowing the fluid to exit into the stream (FIG. 22). This way the axis fixed to the turbine is vertical to the stream and a differential is needed to convert the rotation of the vertical axis to a horizontal one, a horizontal axis fixed to the differential now turns the wheels and the dynamo or alternator.

In wind driven devices the 1^(st) unit (V shaped) is funnel shape, in the 3^(rd) unit the opening of the 1^(st) ring is closed with openings only to the pipes of the 2^(nd) unit (FIG. 20).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the top view of the 1^(st) unit.

FIG. 2 shows the 1^(st) unit. The V shaped walls are higher than the pipe (but for drawing reasons, it looks that way for clarity of the scheme).

FIG. 3 shows the 1^(st) unit for wind driven devices

FIG. 4 shows the 2^(nd) unit

FIG. 5 shows the 3^(rd) unit along with its rings

FIG. 6 shows the section of the 1^(st) two rings in the 3^(rd) unit

FIG. 7 shows the section of the following rings

FIG. 7 a is a cross section showing fluid inside a ring

FIG. 8 shows the turbines inside the 3^(rd) unit

FIG. 9 is a side view of the 1^(st) ring

FIG. 10 shows the direction of the fluid in the 1^(st) ring

FIG. 11 shows a turbine

FIG. 12 shows a random ring

FIG. 12 a front view of a section of a ring

FIG. 13 is a horizontal axis

FIG. 14 shows a horizontal axis with wheel attached

FIG. 15 shows the wheels to be fixed on dry land along with the horizontal axis

FIG. 16 shows how the horizontal axis can be fixed to any turbine

FIG. 17 shows a complete device

FIG. 18 shows a top view of the system

FIG. 19 shows the ability to connect many devices to each other. Pipe joining 2 systems allowing power of the fluid generated by the first to be added to the second and thus energy is growing exponentially by connecting systems to each other. (joining end of third unit to second unit of the following system).

FIG. 20 shows the wind driven device

FIG. 21 shows the device on top of an eolienne

FIG. 22 shows the device planted vertically in the bed of a slow stream 

1. This device is meant to increase fluid velocity streams (ex. Rivers, winds, sewage system of a city) in order to get “high” R.P.M. from the end or the middle of the device. The “high” R.P.M. (rotation per minute) is needed since most commercial dynamos and alternators require 1500 R.P.M. to 3000 R.P.M. usually to supply good frequency and voltage electric current.
 2. With this device we're creating a potential difference in a fluid at both ends of the machine without the need of making leveling (water damns . . . ) in the bed of the streams and thus changing the environment of the precious wild life in it.
 3. Small changes on the device but not changing the design nor the order of the unit consisting it are made to make it run on wind (FIG. 20). This device can be fixed on the top of the wind mills (eolienne) and thus benefiting of the gyroscopic movement the eolienne has and the wind coming from the big helix of the eolienne. (FIG. 21) The torque generated by the device can be added to the mechanical electrical device of the eolienne giving a boost to the electrical current from it. Benefits: This device uses only a small segment of the fluid flow bed and thus constructing several devices on the fluid flow doesn't alter the flow of the fluid nor the environment (ecosystem) that lives in it. (FIG. 18) We can make a chain of devices connecting each one to another on a fluid flow stream and so getting more power from one unit to another, so the power of the chain can grow exponentially. (FIG. 19) 